The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1887-12-21

ucHe 10 Nn0ASe VI AuHhntStTSttOus
In making forecast of the forces
that will enter into the Presidential
next year, the attitude of the
business interests of the country must
be taken into account. The Repub-
lican party has made the people
familiar with the argument that. ex-
cept for the gravest cause, change Of
administration at Washington is in
furious to trade and depressing to in
dustry. We have the authority of the
foremost Republican statesmen for
saying that to transfer the general
government from the party in pos
session to the party in opposition in
wolves a heavy risk to the commercial
and manufacturing activity of the Ma
ton. That such transfer would tend
to unsettle public confidence, disturb
values, alarm capital, check invest
ments, discourage enterprise, throw
labor out of employment and gener-
ally disorganize business, we know
from the speeches of men as far
sighted and clear-headed as Senator
Sherman, Senator Allison and Senator
Hawley; in fact, we have the word of
all the best Republican thinkers and
orators that such change of National
administration must be full Of danger
to our vital interests.
The people have been so thoroughly
indoctrinated with this fear of change
in the character and policy of their
general Government that it is not
likely they will venture to make such
a change IN 1883, unless the Republican
party can show clear necessity for it..
That no such necessity for exposing
business to the extreme perils of new
and untried administration has yet
been shown to them is evident from
the verdict rendered at the polls in
New York. If the prophecies of
ruinous results to trade so freely made
by the Republicans in 1884, in case Mr..
Cleveland was elected, had been even
partially fulfilled, then the merchants,
manufacturers and tradesmen of the
great business State of New York
would, by this time, have been found
at work in dead earnest to rectify their
misfortune In that case New York
would have gone Republican the other
day by decisive majority. But the
people we'll knew that all those proph-
ecies of disaster have not only failed of
fulfllment, but that, on the contrary,
the business outlook has improved
steadily since Mr.. Cleveland was in
augurated. Hence, New York is where
she is, in the Democratic column OF
States, by largely-increased margin;
and there she will remain. barring
some unforeseen occurrence, in 1888
After all the noise that is made from
time to time by the professional indie
pendent voter, and by all the other ex-
cellent persons who form third parties
to promote special ideas and reforms,
the really formidable body of indie
pendent voters are our business men.
They make fewer speeches, no doubt,
but they muster more votes; and
though their voice is not loud theil
influence is controlling. 1t was they
who decreed the election of Tilden in
1876. Alarmed in 1880, it was they
who turned the scales in the closing
month of that years campaign and
gave New York and victory to Gar.
field. And it was because they were
afraid of Blaine and spirited foreign
policy" which was to lead nobody
knew where, that they permitted hi:
defeat in 1884; for had they supported
him with half the vigor which they
threw into the canvass for Garfield, il
is certain that Cleveland would not
have been elected.
The secret of the businessmen
power in Presidential election is ar
open one. It is not in their votes,
though they are numerous and help; il
is not in their money, though they are
apt to be generous supporters of 8
cause they heartily espouse; but fa1
more potent than either their votes Of
their money is the weight of theil
Judgment and the force of their opinion
Trade is in our day a highly-organized
thing; it's brain is in New York anc
the other great metropolitan centers o
exchange, and, quick as an electric
shock, and equally powerful, are the
impressions which radiate therefron
to every corner Of the country where
men are engaged in business. If thu
trade brain feels that an administra
ton is safe. the sense of security per
vades the entire community and in
dustrial body; if the trade brain feel
that an administration is unsafe, thu
tremors Of apprehension and distrus
pass at once to the very finger-tips O
the business world.
The election just held in New Yorl
shows beyond question that the bust
ness community regards the Cleveland
Administration with confidence, feel
that it has done wisely and well, ant
is quite ready to renew its lease o
power on the prudent principle 0
leaving well enough alone.
The complexion of the coming Pres
idential canvass is, therefore, easy t,
forsee. The Republican party, by tn
necessity of its position, will appea
as disturber of our business peace
It must perforce be the assailant of tn